Surprise! A $2 Nail Polish Beat Out All the Rest in a Consumer Reports Test

I've got some news that'll make your wallet do a little happy dance in your purse right now: A $2 nail polish proved to be the most long-lasting in the latest Consumer Reports test, even beating out high-end lacquers and gel hybrids like CND Vinylux—and you might not have even heard of the brand until now.

The organization tested seven different brands. Here was the methodology: "We hired a professional manicurist to apply the tested polishes to 10 volunteers in our Yonkers, N.Y., headquarters. The panelists wore two products simultaneously, each on every other fingernail of both hands. On the seventh, 10th, and 14th days after each manicure, two trained testers evaluated the panelists’ fingernails and scored wear. We recruited 10 additional volunteers to apply and remove the polishes at home and assess ease of use."

The winning polish? Sinful Colors, a cheapie line you find at drugstores that comes in a lot of bright shades. Testers found that it took longer to dry than all the other brands, but that it still looked better than the rest at day 10 (none of them looked great by day 14).